It's Just Stress
by macktheknife89
Summary: Lucas thinks it's just stress thats getting to him .. but its something different. Who will be there for Lucas and how will be survive? R & R


Disclaimer: I have nothing to do with SeaQuest and make no claim to it in any way.

**IT'S JUST STRESS**

_**CHAPTER ONE**_

_It's just stress_ Lucas thought for the millionth time that morning.

'Lucas. How long to until that new program is up and running? I don't mean to harass you, but we needed it yesterday in order to complete our reconnaissance mission.'

Lucas kneaded his forehead with his knuckles. He had a bad headache coming on, and his thirst at the moment was equal to that of a hundred camels.

_It's just stress_.

'Almost done, Captain. Just uploading the last sequence now. And then I will have to do a test run, but at the moment everything is looking good.'

'That's great Lucas.' Bridger said smiling and patting him on the shoulder.

_Just put in the last sequence Lucas_, he told himself. _But I'm so thirsty and I need to go to the toilet, again_, said a stronger voice in his head. It was the same battle he had been having internally all morning.

Giving into his physical desires rather taking those last few moments now to finish the program, he excused himself and once out of sight, sprinted to the nearest toilet.

* * *

Bridger stared at the teenager exiting the room with a look of concern. Lucas would never find anything more important than finishing a task, especially one at a stage this important. You never know, he could just be grabbing something else to complete the program Bridger reasoned with himself. Thinking nothing else about the matter he turned to Commander Ford to discuss the finer details of the mission.

* * *

Lucas drank and drank and drank from the water tap in the bathroom. No amount of water seemed to be enough for him; with each new mouthful it doubled his need for another. Stopping three times to go to the toilet, he wondered if there was something medically wrong with him. He had been feeling off for a little while now but he had just put all the symptoms down to growing up and the stress of being fourteen and trying to organise and implement a new program that even his old university professors could not even begin to comprehend. _It's just stress_, he thought for the millionth and second time that day. _Maybe it's more than that_, he pondered.

Wolenczak flushed the toilet once more and then continued to drink as much water as his hands could cup. He felt like he was going to be sick. Two mouthfuls of water later, he knew he was going to be sick and ran into the toilet cubicle behind him heaving what felt like almost his entire set of organs out.

After Lucas had washed his face the basin he glanced at the clock on the wall. He had been gone for twenty minutes at least. Scooping another three mouthfuls of water, Lucas dashed out of the bathroom back to his post.

Bridger gave him an odd look and asked where he had been as he entered the bridge.

'I got side-tracked' Lucas mumbled in reply.

The Captain wasn't really satisfied with this answer, but said nothing as Lucas sat down at this computer.

Half an hour later, the program was completed. But rather than feeling success and relief, Lucas felt worse than he had ever felt in his life. He wanted nothing more than to drink every single drop of fresh water on the planet and then sleep for as long as possible. Not wanting to alarm anyone, especially himself, Lucas let himself be dragged to the dining room for a celebratory lunch. He suddenly realised with a jolt of panic, _I can't put this down to stress any longer._

As the others lined up to get the items the UEO called 'food' for lunch, Lucas by-passed the line and headed straight for the drinks. Rather than grabbing a glass of water, he grabbed five jugs of iced water and headed back to the table.

Kristen gave him a funny look. 'I'm not hungry' was all Lucas replied with. What he really felt was not hungry, but thirsty and needing to go to the toilet desperately, with a headache and wanting to vomit and pass out at the same time.

The others all had collected their lunch and were sitting around talking about the upcoming mission. Lucas had no interest in it all at the moment, even though he had designed the computer program that was the key to it all. He tried to act civil, but within thirty seconds he grabbed the first jug of water and drank it in one mouthful. The coldness of the water made his teeth hurt, but he did not care as long as he drank the water. He grabbed the second, third and fourth jugs. It wasn't until he had finished the fifth jug that he noticed everyone at the table had stopped eating and talking and were staring at him.

'Thirsty, hey Lucas?' Ben asked with a sarcastic look on his face.

'Just a little bit.' Lucas stood to refill his jugs of water but stopped halfway up. His breathing became haggard. Bridger grabbed hold of Lucas's arm as he fell back down onto his seat with a thud.

'Lucas, are you alright?' Bridger asked alarmed.

'Lucas went to reply but his breathing was becoming harder. He was still so thirsty and felt nauseas.

As his eyes rolled back into his head he faintly remembered his pants feeling warm and vomiting all over himself and the table.

_Thankyou for reading. Please review. I need a beata for this story so anyone interested please let me know!_

_Thanks! Zack the Mack_


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